Unlocking
Word Meanings
Read
the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
1. milestone
(n.) [mahyl-stohn] – an important event (in one’s life or in a project)
Example: The launching of Jenny’s song album is a milestone in her career as a singer.
2. make
history (idiom) [meyk] [his-tuh-ree, his-tree] – to do
something important enough to be part of history
Example:
Neil Armstrong made history in 1969
when Apollo 11 landed on the moon.
3. revival(n.) [ri-vahy-vuhl] – the act of becoming active and popular again
Example:
His native artworks brought a revival
of the community’s culture.
4. plot
(n.) [plot] – the story or sequence of events in a work such as a novel, play, or
movie
Example:
A plot that involves a lot of
exciting events shows the great imagination of the writer.
5. trauma
(n.) [trou-muh, traw-] – extreme shock or fear which may last for a long time
Example:
The flash flood caused trauma to all
the residents.
Article
Read
the text below.
The Democratic Republic
of the Congo (DRC) has made a milestone in the movie industry by
releasing its first ever locally produced film in more than 20 years.
For more than two
decades, movie-making in DRC has been shut down because of the conflict in the
region.
The film, entitled “Viva
Riva,” made history as it was shown in the United States and other
countries. Because of this breakthrough,
producers of the movie hope for a revival of the local African cinema.
The movie tells the
story of a gangster named Riva, who earns a living by selling illegal gasoline
in the streets of Kinshasa, Congo’s capital, where the film was shot. Djo
Munga, writer and director, found inspiration for the story’s plot from
the traders of the Congo and Angola borders who do everything they can to
survive in a country facing a lot of economic problems.
The movie earned several
awards from Berlin and Toronto film festivals, and even won MTV’s Best African Movie Award. The main actor, Hoji Fortuna, also got the
Best Supporting Actor Award for his role.
According to him, Viva
Riva was a chance for him to return to his homeland after moving to other
countries to forget the trauma caused by the civil
war. For him, returning to Africa was a very special experience.
Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy
a discussion with your tutor.
Discussion A
·
Are there a lot of
local movies being produced in your country?
·
What are the usual
types of movies produced by local movie producers?
Discussion B
·
What do you think
local films are for?
·
Do people in your country support local films?
